Reign 1680-1686 Name Princess Albertine | Reign 1686-1706 | |
 | ||
Born 1 May 1665Colln an der Spree ( 1665-05-01 ) Issue Frederick Henry, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels-BarbyGeorge Albert, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-BarbyPrincess Henriette Marie Mother Henriette Catherine of Orange-Nassau Spouse Heinrich of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of Barby Children Georg Albrecht of Saxe-Weissenfels, Count of Barby, Princess Henriette Marie Parents Countess Henriette Catherine of Nassau, John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau Grandparents Amalia of Solms-Braunfels Similar People Leopold I - Prince of Anhalt‑Dessau, Frederick Henry - Prince of, Amalia of Solms‑Braunfels | ||
Elisabeth Albertine of Anhalt-Dessau (1 May 1665 - 5 October 1706), was a German noblewoman by birth Princess of Anhalt-Dessau as member of the House of Ascania and by marriage Duchess of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby.
Born in Colln an der Spree, she was the fourth of ten children born from the marriage of John George II, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and Henriette Catherine of Orange-Nassau. From her nine older and younger siblings, five survive adulthood: Henriette Amalie (by marriage Princess of Nassau-Dietz), Marie Eleonore (by marriage Princess Radziwill and Duchess of Olyka), Henriette Agnes, Leopold I, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau and Johanna Charlotte (by marriage Margravine of Brandenburg-Schwedt).
Life
In 1680, and thanks to her father's instigation, Elisabeth Albertine was chosen Princess-Abbess of Herford Abbey as Elisabeth IV, securing with this the support of the Rhenish Imperial College prelate (German: Reichspralatenkollegiums). She remained in the post for six years, until her marriage was arranged and moved to Barby; however, several Herford artists and merchants followed her.
In Dessau on 30 March 1686, Elisabeth Albertine married Henry, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby. Elisabeth Albertine's paternal great-great grandmother was Agnes of Barby-Muhlingen; this give to Henry some blood ties to the extinct House of Barby.
The marriage produced eight children, of whom only three survive adulthood:
- John August, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby (Dessau, 28 July 1687 - Dessau, 22 January 1688).
- John August, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby (Dessau, 24 July 1689 - Dessau, 21 October 1689).
- Stillborn twin sons (Dessau, 1690).
- Frederick Henry, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby (Dessau, 2 July 1692 - The Hague, 21 November 1711).
- George Albert, Duke of Saxe-Weissenfels-Barby (Dessau, 19 April 1695 - Barby, 12 June 1739).
- Henriette Marie (Dessau, 1 March 1697 - Weissenfels, 10 August 1719).
- Stillborn daughter (Dessau, 5 October 1706).
Elisabeth Albertine died in Dessau aged 41, following complications in her last childbirth. She was buried in the Familiengruft, Barby.